Freshmen help men’s cross country open 1999 in style.

VERSAILLES, Ky. (Sept. 4, 1999) — The University of Kentucky men’s cross countryteam beat out both Eastern Kentucky and Louisville at the Woodford CrossCountry Trials, the first meet of the 1999 season. Kevin O’Connor, afreshman from Mansfield, Conn., won his first collegiate race with a time of16:07.

Kentucky’s top five finishers were all freshmen: O’Connor, Hunter Spencer(4th), Thomas Morgan (9th), Nate Hensley (10th) and David Hall (14th).The 5,000-meter run was Spencer’s first cross country meet ever. Themen’s team beat Eastern Kentucky by only two points, 37-35. Louisvillefinished the meet with 51 points.

The Kentucky women finished third in the meet. Marie Patton finished herfirst collegiate two-mile race with a time of 12:16, placing sixth.

The cross country teams will see their next action in two weeks at theVanderbilt Pre-SEC meet in Nashville on Sept. 18.